Bump
by jemb
Summary: The final chapter is here. It's the morning after the night before and Booth and Brennan have to confront what happened. What will happen. Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**_This is a strange little fic with no real plot. It kinda took on a life of its own as I was writing. I'm posting it as a one shot but as you'll see it has an open ending so I may continue but that will depend on the review I get and whether I can work out where to take it. _**

The moon is low in the sky when Booth turns his SUV onto yet another busy Washington D.C street. He sighs heavily when he realises he might get stuck in more traffic. He was supposed to meet Brennan and her squints in a bar half an hour ago and thanks to some road works, he's still a good twenty minutes away. Lost in thought, the sudden ringing of his cell startles him.

"Booth." He answers.

"It's Angela."

"I'm sorry, I know I'm late." He immediately apologises.

"That's not why I'm calling, although we'll have words later." Angela smiles. "Can you swing by the Jeffersonian. Brennan promised me she was on her way over half an hour ago but she hasn't turned up yet." Angela explains.

"You know what she's like. Bones probably just lost track of time." Booth explains.

"Booth." Angela pleads.

"Fine, I'll go by and drag her from her work. But if she yells at me…"

"Thanks Booth." Angela says sincerely. She knows that if anyone can drag Brennan away from her work it's the hunky FBI man.

When Booth arrives at the Jeffersonian the place is deserted. Given that it's a Friday night that isn't a surprise. Tossing his keys in the air, Booth whistles as he strolls towards Brennan's office. At first he doesn't see her. Then as Booth enters the office and surveys the scene before him he feels his heart pounding almost out of his chest. One of Brennan's heavily loaded bookcases in lying on the floor, books strewn all over. Out of the mess Booth can just see a hand and he knows it's Bones trapped under there.

"Bones." He calls as he hurries over. Leaning down he grabs the bookcase and with a grunt he pulls it up. Shifting positions, he braces the bookcase on his shoulder and shoves it back up against the wall. With the weight removed, Booth can now see Brennan lying motionless on the floor covered in books and papers.

"Bones." He kneels by her side and starts to remove the books covering her. "Bones, can you hear me?" he asks. She doesn't show any sign of movement.

"Bones?" he feels at her neck for a pulse and sighs with relief when he feels a relatively strong one. Taking Brennan's chin in his hand Booth rolls her head straight. Patting her cheek with his other hand, he encourages her to come around.

"Come on Bones, wake up." He tries to keep his voice calm but with Brennan in this state he is finding it hard not to panic. He has no idea how long she's been unconscious. If it happened right after Angela spoke with her she could have been like this for nearly an hour.

Brennan hears Booth calling her name and as much as she wants to remain where she is because it is so peaceful, his voice is getting louder and she wants it to stop. The only way to do that seems to be to wake up. Fluttering her eyes open she squints in the bright light and tries to focus on Booth's face. She wants to tell him to be quiet but all she can do is groan.

"Hey." Booth smiles weakly when her eyes open. His hand brushes over her forehead then round to her cheek. "Take it easy okay." He tells her as his thumb strokes over her cheek. But despite his words and soft touch, Brennan tries to sit up.

"Lie still Bones." Booth tells her firmly and he places his hand firmly on her shoulder, pushing her back down.

"I'm okay." Brennan protests weakly.

"Uh Bones, in case you hadn't noticed, a bookcase fell on you." Booth tells her. His voice sounds light but inside, he is worried sick.

"Really, I'm okay." Brennan insists. As she starts to sit up this time, Booth doesn't stop her. Instead he takes her arm and slips his hand behind her neck, lifting her upper body off the ground. She moans and her hand flies up to her head to where Booth can see a nasty looking bump forming.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." Booth tells her.

"It's just a little bump." Brennan insists despite the thumping in her head and associated dizziness.

"No arguments Bones." Booth tells her in a very firm voice. He moves into a squat and taking both of Brennan's arms, he pulls her to her feet. Almost immediately she collapses against him, her upper body leaning against his chest. To keep her on her feet, Booth slips an arm around her waist and holds her tightly.

"Maybe the hospital isn't such a bad idea." Brennan lifts her head and offers him a weak smile. She leans on Booth and lets him walk her across her office and out into the lab. By the time they get to Booth's SUV, which is parked out front, Brennan can barely stand. Her vision is blurry and the pain in her head very intense.

"Hang in there Bones." Booth says as he opens the car door. Brennan nods and slides into the seat. As soon as Booth closes the door she leans against it, the cool window giving her some comfort. She barely notices Booth leaning over and strapping her into the seatbelt. The rest of the journey to the hospital is just as much of a blur.

Booth pulls his ringing cell out of his pocket and answers without thinking.

"Booth."

"Is there something going on I should know about?" Angela demands. "I send you to get Brennan now you're both awol?"

"Sorry Angela." Booth sighs. "There was a little incident."

"Booth, where are you?" Angela asks curiously.

"I'm at the hospital." He admits.

"What!" Angela asks.

"Don't panic Angela." Booth tells her as he rubs the bridge of his nose. "She's fine, just a little concust."

"Booth, what happened?" Angela demands.

"I'm not sure exactly. I got to her office and I found her under the bookcase." Booth explains.

"Under the bookcase?" Angela gasps.

"I guess it fell on her."

"But she's alright?" Angela asks.

"She's got a bump on the head but the doctor says she'll be okay."

"Is she staying overnight?"

"This is Temperance Brennan we're talking about." Booth jokes. "She's down the hall discharging herself as we speak."

"Is that wise?"

"The doctor says as long as she takes it easy and gets some rest she'll be fine."

"You'll look after her right?"

"Of course I will." Booth wonders why Angela felt the need to ask. Brennan is his partner, his best friend. When wouldn't he take care of her?

"Tell her I'll come by in the morning." Angela says. Booth glances down the hall and sees Brennan handing a form back to the nurse.

"I gotta go Ang, looks like Bones is ready to escape." Angela says goodbye and Booth hangs up before jogging down the hall to where Brennan is sitting in a wheelchair complaining.

"Is this really necessary?" she asks.

"Hospital policy I'm afraid." The nurse smiles. "It's only while you're on hospital property." She adds. Brennan sighs heavily and raises her hand to the bandaged bump on her head.

"You okay?" Booth crouches at her side and touches her hand lightly.

"Can you please just take me home?" Brennan sighs.

"Sure Bones." Booth steps behind the wheelchair and starts to push her forward.

Brennan is feeling pretty tired by the time she gets back to her apartment. With Booth's help she makes it up the stairs on her still shaky legs and straight to her couch. She slumps down and curls her legs under her, resting her head on the arm of the couch.

"So, how did it happen?" Booth asks as he perches on the edge of the coffee table in front of her."

"Huh?" she asks.

"The bookcase."

"Oh right." Brennan sits up a little. "I was reaching for a book on the top shelf. When I pulled it out I lost my balance and grabbed a shelf. The rest is a little fuzzy." She tells him. "Why were you at the lab anyway?" Brennan asks.

"Angela sent me to get you. She was pissed that you hadn't turned up at the bar."

"I was going to go." Brennan confirms. "If this hadn't happened." She points to her head. "I would have been out of there in half an hour."

"That's what you always say." Booth smiles. "Can I get you anything?"

"Um, some water?"

"Sure Bones." Booth rises to his feet. "Do you have that prescription for the painkillers?" he calls from the kitchen.

"Yeah." Brennan replies.

"I can go to the all night pharmacy and pick it up for you if you want." Booth offers.

"I can go tomorrow." Brennan tells him.

"No you don't Bones." Booth warns as he walks back over with a fresh bottle of still water from the fridge. "You are not leaving this apartment for a couple of days."

"Booth."

"Don't 'Booth' me Bones." He hands her the water. "You have a concussion and you need rest."

"Fine." Brennan holds her hands up in resignation. Booth holds his hand out for the prescription and Brennan digs into her pocket to give it to him.

"You need anything else?" he asks.

"I don't think so." She shakes her head.

"Okay, well I'll be back soon." He smiles and heads for the door, picking up Brennan's keys from where she dropped them on the table by the door. Brennan waves from the far side of the couch and slouches down as she hears the door shut. She can't help but smile at how Booth is taking care of her. _He's always here for me_ she thinks.

Booth returns about an hour later with a large brown bag in his arms. When he went to get Brennan her water he noticed how empty her fridge was so he stopped at the market and picked up some kitchen essentials like bread, milk and eggs. When he walks through the front door he calls out to Brennan. There is no response so he drops the bag on the kitchen counter and walks over to the couch where he left her. She isn't there.

"Hey Bones?" he calls as he turns in a circle.

"In here!" she calls from another room. Booth follows her voice and finds her in her bedroom.

"Bones, why are you tidying up?" he asks sternly.

"Because there was a mess." She tells him.

"Put down the clothes." He orders. "Bones, you can't be doing things like that." He takes her elbow and pulls her out the bedroom.

"Booth, I have a bump on the head, I'm not an invalid." She protests.

"I know but you heard what the doctor said." He makes her sit down on the couch by placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her down. "Stay." He orders as he heads back to the kitchen to put the groceries away and fetch her painkillers. He returns a few minutes later, happy to find she has not moved.

"Here." He passes her two pills.

"I don't really need those Booth." She refuses despite the headache she has.

"Bones." He sends her a warning look.

"They make me feel tired." She admits.

"Good, you'll get some rest then." Booth pushes his hand holding the pills closer and Brennan reluctantly takes them from him. She swallows the two pills and washes them down with some water.

"Happy?" she asks Booth. He nods his approval and walks around to sit beside her. "It's really late Bones, you should go get some sleep." He tells her.

"I guess." She agrees and rises to her feet. "I suppose I'll see you on Monday?" she asks.

"Oh no Bones, I'm not going anywhere. The minute you're out of my sight you'll be on that computer of yours doing work."

"You're not staying here." Brennan tells him.

"Yes I am. Until Angela comes tomorrow I am personally responsible for you. Besides, you did discharge yourself from the hospital against Doctors orders. I'm supposed to keep an eye on you in case you relapse."

"I'm not going to relapse." Brennan rolls her eyes. "But if you have to." She walks away from him to her bedroom reappearing a few moments later with a pillow and blanket. She tosses them to Booth.

"Goodnight Booth." She waves over her shoulder as she heads back to her room.

Booth is brewing some fresh coffee and toasting bagels when there is a knock at the door. He knows it will be Angela on the other side so he quickly brushes off his hands and hurries through the lounge to answer the door. She only looks mildly surprised to see him there first thing in the morning. She pretty much knew he would want to stay to keep an eye on her, she just wasn't sure Brennan would let him. _I should have guessed she would._

"Hey Angela." He greets her with a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

"How's the patient."

"Anything but patient." Booth laughs. "She's still sleeping. You want some breakfast?" he asks. Angela nods a yes and follows booth through to the kitchen. Booth adds another bagel to the toaster for Angela then calls out to Brennan.

A knocking at the door wakes Brennan from a deep sleep. She rolls over and her head meets the cool fabric of a pillow. A soft moan escapes her lips as she feels her head ache. _The pills wore off_ she figures.

"Hey Bones, Angela is here!" Booth calls. Brennan clambers out of bed a little clumsily and pulls a large grey hooded sweater on over her vest. She then pads out of her room to the living room to see Angela.

"Sweetie, how are you feeling?" Angela rushes over to her and raises her hand to Brennan's bandaged head.

"I'm okay." She replies.

"I can't believe I was mad at you for flaking on me when you were lying under a bookcase." Angela tells her. "I'm sorry."

"Angela, if you weren't mad at me you wouldn't have sent Booth to pick me up."

"Still, I'm sorry." Angela apologises.

"Bones." Booth walks over to her and hands her two white pills and a glass of water. To Angela's surprise, Brennan takes the pills and swallows them without objection.

"Sweetie, you hate pills." Angela point out.

"Have you ever had Booth pretending he's a doctor around you?" she asks. "It's easier just to 'go with the flow'." She hopes she got the phrase right. Neither Booth nor Angela mentions anything so she guesses she was right.

"You know, I like you a whole lot better when you're like this." Booth grins. "Coffee?" he asks. Brennan nods and walks with Angela to the couch. They sit down together, turned so they are facing each other. Booth potters around in the kitchen as the two women talk. _Like he belongs there_ Angela thinks.

Around an hour later Angela has left but only after Brennan persuaded her not to waste her weekend worrying about her. Only she and Booth remain.

"You know Booth. You don't have to waste your weekend too." Brennan tells him. Booth crosses the room to the couch and flops down beside her.

"I'm not wasting my weekend." He smiles. "How about we rent a couple of movies, kick back and just relax." He says.

"I don't…relax." Brennan tells him.

"Well it's about time you did. I'm going to head down to the video store and rent a couple of movies." He tells her. "Anything you feel like watching?" he asks. But before she can answer he answers for her. "Of course not, you don't do movies." He nods.

"I just usually find I have more important things to do." She defends herself.

"Not this weekend Bones." He rises from the couch. "This weekend you're going to do what everyone else does. Relax." He says as he heads for the door. As she watches him walking away Brennan can't help but smile. Ordinarily, spending time at home on the weekend would drive her crazy. She always feels the need to be doing something productive. But with Booth here she feels strangely at ease and like everything at the lab can wait. _I think this might be the first time I've ever been this comfortable with someone_ she thinks. _And for that person to be Booth?_ _Why?_ She wonders. _You know why Brennan. You're in love with him_.


	2. Chapter 2

_**The reviews demanded it so here is the second instalment of this little fluffy story. I've got plans for a third instalment which may complete the story but it's not written yet so I'll have to wait and see where it goes. But trust me, this is not the end.**_

Just after Booth has left, Brennan rises from the couch and pads through to the bathroom. When she looks in the mirror her eyes widen at her appearance. Normally Brennan doesn't care about looks but when she sees her tangled bed hair, pale complexion and casual clothes, she feels a sudden urge to make her self look better. _Surely Booth won't want to spend time with me if I look this awful_ she ponders. She makes a quick decision to take a shower and change into something a little nicer. _Sexier_ she thinks.

After a speedy shower Brennan rushes to the bedroom knowing Booth will be back quickly since the video store is only a few blocks away. She dries and styles her hair in record speed and throws on a pair of light blue jeans a tight white vest. She pauses over her dresser and decides against putting any make-up on. _I don't want Booth to think I'm making too much of an effort_ she thinks. She knows Booth is observant and he'll think her wearing make-up at home like this is out of character for her. Now dressed, she hurries around and tidies up the mess she made while getting ready. As she walks back through to the lounge she feels a sudden wave of nausea and dizziness and she braces her hand on the wall to steady her. Stumbling forward a little she finally sinks down to the floor, unable to keep herself on her feet.

Booth whistles to himself as he makes his way along the hall back to Brennan's apartment. He knows he has to hide it but he is very excited about getting to spend all this time with Brennan outside of work. He spends a lot of his time with her but it's usually focused around a case or a meal or drinks after a case. They haven't really spent any time together as friends. _I wish we could be more than that_ he thinks. But rationally he knows Brennan feels nothing more for him than friendship. He slides the key into the lock and pushes the door open. When he steps inside he drops the key onto the table by the door and is about to call out to Brennan when he spots her sitting on the floor, her body folded over and her head on her knees.

"Bones!" he gasps as he drops the bag with the videos and snacks on the floor and rushes over to her side. "Bones, what happened?" he asks as his hand reaches out for her face. Brennan lifts her head and tries to focus on him but his face is moving around a little.

"I'm just a little dizzy." She tells him. Booth notices that Brennan has changed clothes and he figures she got dizzy from too much exertion.

"You're okay, come on. Let's get you over to the couch." He says softly. He pulls one of Brennan's arms around his shoulder and with ease he rises to his feet bringing her up with him.

When he has her on her feet he starts to walk her slowly across the floor but after only a few steps Brennan's knees buckle and Brennan moans softly. Booth grips her tightly to stop her falling and in one swift movement he sweeps her off her feet and into his arms.

"I got you." He whispers. She doesn't protest at his alpha male protector response, instead she lets her head fall onto his shoulder. He takes careful and deliberate steps across the room and when he reaches the couch he eases Brennan down. Her hand moves up to her head and she holds it on her forehead, her eyes shut tightly. Booth sits down on the edge of the couch beside her.

"This is why you need to take it easy Bones." Booth tells her. "You might feel alright but you do too much and this happens." He tries not to sound too harsh but sometimes being subtle just doesn't reach Brennan. He strokes her hair as he looks down at her. "Do you want me to call a Doctor or take you back to the hospital?" Booth asks. He can't help but worry as she lies there looking pale and weak.

"No." she answers. "I'll be okay." She insists. _I can't believe this happened_ she curses herself. _I don't want Booth to think I'm some weak little woman_.

"Fine but you have to promise me you won't lift a finger for the next two days." Booth lets his fingers trail down her cheek, resisting the urge to touch her lips.

"Whatever you say." She agrees.

"It's about time." Booth jokes. "You know I'm always right anyway." He rises to his feet. "Okay, I got some movies and snacks, you feel like watching something or do you want to get some sleep?" he asks as he looks down at her.

"What movies did you get?" she asks.

"What didn't I get?" Booth grins. "I'll bring them over, you can chose something." He disappears from her view for a moment then brings back a bag filled with movies, chips and candy. He sinks down into the space left on the couch and starts to pull the movies out. I have action movies, a bit of Bruce Willis and jean Claude van Dam. I got some comedy and even a couple of chick flicks."

"I hate chick flicks." Brennan states. "Nothing that happens in those movies happens in real life." _She's back_ Booth thinks.

"Oh I don't know Bones. Maybe you just haven't met the right guy." he shrugs. _Like me_. Brennan wriggles her body and sits up a little, her dizziness fading.

"You choose." She tells him. Booth looks through his selection and decides on the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. In a couple of minutes the pair is settled on the couch. Brennan has turned onto her side and has her legs curled up and her head resting on her arms. Booth slouches at the other end, his legs stretched out in front of him. Despite loving the movie that is playing, Booth finds his eyes drawn to Brennan, like he needs to keep a constant eye on her. He hears soft chuckles coming from her as the movie progresses and it warms his heart. He's never really seen Brennan relaxing like this and it's a whole new side to her. _I'm glad I'm here to see it_.

Around lunchtime the partners have made their way through two movies. Brennan has changed position again, sitting up on the couch now that she feels a lot better.

"Man I'm hungry." Booth states as the credits roll on the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean.

"Booth you have sat here for the last two hours eating popcorn and candy. How can you be hungry?" Brennan asks. Booth grins.

"Bones, I'm a guy. Guy's can always eat." He rises to his feet. "What do you feel like?" he asks.

"I'm not hungry." Brennan replies as she reaches for her glass of water.

"You have to eat something Bones."

"Booth I…"

"Hey, remember you said you'd do whatever I say." He reminds her. Brennan rolls her eyes but agrees. "So what'll it be?" he asks.

"Anything." She replies. She doesn't really know what she feels like. Booth disappears from view but Brennan can hear him pottering around the kitchen. When he returns from the kitchen Brennan is sitting with her legs crossed. Booth hands her a plate of chicken salad.

"This looks great." She tells him as she lifts the fork and starts to poke at the salad.

"I have hidden talents." Booth smiles as he sits down with his own salad. _I'll say_ Brennan smiles to herself. This is one of the best salad's she's had. The dressing does not have too much vinegar and is not too heavy either. She's soon finished the plate, not realising how hungry she really was.

"Let me take that." Booth reaches for her plate.

"Booth, you made lunch, at least let me put these away." Brennan insists.

"Sorry Bones." Booth shakes his head and takes her plate from him. "I'm taking care of you this weekend which means you don't lift a finger." He disappears from view leaving Brennan smiling on the couch. _Taking care of me_ she thinks. From her position on the couch Brennan reaches over to look at some of the movies Booth picked out. As she reads the plots on the back covers she hears Booth's cell ring. He answers quickly.

"Booth." Brennan's ears prick up, wondering who's calling him on a Saturday. "Oh hey." She hears Booth say. "I can't I'm busy at the moment." He tells the person on the phone. Brennan hears Booth's footsteps walking into the far corner of the room.

"Uh no, I'll be busy all weekend." He pauses. "I'm sorry, I can't." he adds before he hangs up and returns to Brennan.

"You know Booth, if there's somewhere else you need to be you don't have to babysit me." Brennan sighs. Although she's saying it she can't stand the thought that he might choose to leave her.

"Bones." Booth turns to her and locks onto her blue eyes. "There is nowhere else I need to be." He states.

"Oh okay." She almost whispers.

"What I'm saying Bones, is that I want to be here, with you." He smiles. _How far should I take this?_ He wonders. _I can't tell her the whole truth_. "You know, hanging out, outside of work, like friends do." He adds.

"Okay, so long as I'm not keeping you from something important." She nods. _Cam is not important. I don't know why we even hooked up in the first place_ Booth thinks.

As the evening draws in, Brennan realises she has spent practically the whole day lying on the couch. _I don't think I've ever done this_ she thinks.

"Hey, I know you said you hated them but we're down to the romantic comedies."

"Fine, I guess I could suffer through them." She yawns a little. Booth slips the first one in and settles back, his arm stretched out across the back of the couch behind Brennan's head. As the movie begins Booth has to stop himself laughing as Brennan mumbles critiques about the story and how no one ever does anything like that in real life.

"Bones, why be so cynical?" Booth asks.

"Come on Booth, these movies fills the minds of vulnerable women with ideals of a perfect man who will shower them with romantic gestures and the belief that they'll live happily ever after. That never happens and these women end up living a life of disappointment when they ideals are not matched by reality."

"Bones, just watch the movie okay." Booth tells her. She shifts her position and leans in to Booth a little. Booth doesn't notice at first but as Brennan drifts off to sleep, probably through boredom, she gradually falls into him until her head is resting in the crook between his arm and chest. Booth drops his arm down from the back of the couch and wraps it around her shoulder, holding her close. He doesn't remember seeing the rest of the movie.

When Booth forces his eyes open in the morning he groans when he feels a twinge in his back. Then he notices that he's half lying on the couch with Brennan asleep in his arms, her head on his chest right over his heart. His hand finds its way to the back of her head and he gently strokes her hair. _I wish I could wake like this every day_ he thinks. His movements seem to stir Brennan but she doesn't wake up, she merely snuggles close to him, her hand resting on his chest near her face. Booth has to restrain the smile on his face. He never thought Brennan would be a snuggler. He wants to stay this way forever but he knows he's going to have to get up or he might find himself paralysed. So he gently slides his legs off the couch then using his arms he pries Brennan off his body so he can get up. He lays her down on the couch gently and pulls a throw from the back of couch to drape over her. He glances at his watch and sees it is still very early. Brennan looks like she'll be out for a while yet so Booth scribbles a note on a piece of paper and props it up on the table so she'll see it when she wakes. He then grabs his jacket and heads out of the apartment.

Brennan wakes slowly and is confused for a moment about where she is. As she opens her eyes she realises she's asleep on the couch but Booth is nowhere to be seen. She pushes herself up and rubs her eyes.

"Booth?" she calls. She is met by the silence of an empty apartment and her heart drops. _He left?_ She panics. Then her eyes settle on a note on the table. She picks it up and scans it quickly. _Bones, gone to get breakfast, be back soon, Booth_ is all it says. She smiles and puts the note down before slowly rising to her feet. Not knowing when Booth will return, Brennan heads to the bathroom to have a shower and get changed. But this time she takes it easy, careful not to repeat the dizzy spell she had yesterday.

An hour or so later Booth returns to Brennan's apartment. He enters carrying a bag with bagels and some coffee. He finds Brennan in the kitchen, now wearing a knee length dark green skirt and cream cami. Her feet are slipped into a pair of beaded slippers that look like they were brought back from one of her excursions to a distant country.

"Hey." He greets her. She turns around to see Booth. She figures he's also been home because he's changed his clothes and the stubble he had been sporting has gone.

"I brought breakfast." He passes her the bag and she starts to take the food out as Booth sets the coffee down on the table.

"So what do I have permission to do today?" she asks Booth with a playful smile on her face.

"Actually, I thought we'd go out today, if you feel up to it?" he says.

"Sure." Brennan replies. "What do you have in mind?"

"It's a surprise." Booth grins.

"You know I don't like surprises." Brennan plants a hand on her hip and pouts.

"Trust me, you'll like this one." He assures her. "Come on, eat up. We need to go soon." He takes a sip of coffee and grins. _I hope she likes what I have planned. If she does I might just be able to tell her how I feel._

_**Please hit the button to review so I can be inspired by your comments to write more**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Um okay so something very strange has happened. This story has truly taken on a life of it's own and it has actually scared me a little. This was supposed to be a relatively short chapter but as I wrote it has actually expanded into two chapters so the whole story is going to be much longer than I anticipated. **_

_**I also don't want to get ahead of myself but I think I might have outdone myself on the romantic front here. It's way more fluff than I've ever written in one chapter before. **_

**_I also want to take this opportunity to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed. It has truly inspired me to keep writing this story. Special thanks to I hart Booth for inspiring Chapter 2 which I should have thanked you for then, and thanks to Nascarisdalejr for inspiring my ideas for Chapter 5 (yet to be written). _**

_**Here we go……..**_

Half an hour after Booth returned to Brennan's apartment he is impatiently tapping his foot by the door as Brennan gathers her things together in a large bag.

"Bones, do you really need all this?" he asks.

"I'm always prepared Booth." Brennan tells him. "Especially when I have no idea where I'm going." She adds, in reference to his refusal to tell her what the surprise for today is. "What kind of jacket will I need?" she asks.

"I don't know." Booth replies impatiently. "A jacket." _I'm no fashionista_

"Fine." Brennan sulks as she picks up a thin light brown jacket with a wide collar and oversized buttons. "I'm ready." She tells him as she slings her bag over her shoulder so it rests at her hip. She crosses the room in her flat brown mid calf boots and joins him at the door. Booth holds it open as she steps over the threshold and into the hall. Within minutes they are seated in Booth's SUV and heading down the road to Booth's mystery location.

"Glen Falls Park?" Brennan asks as she finally works out where they are going by the road signs they keep passing and the turns Booth takes.

"Yup." Booth turns to give her a smile.

"Why are we going to Glen Falls Park?" Brennan asks. _What could we possibly do out here?_ She wonders

"I can't tell you." Booth replies.

"Why?"

"Bones, please tell me I don't need to explain the meaning of the word 'surprised'." Booth complains playfully. Brennan crosses her arms and pouts, choosing to look out the window at the scenery. She knows Booth has the upper hand here and she doesn't like it. _Well only partly. _Booth has to restrain a laugh as he sees how Brennan is reacting. He knows how much Brennan likes to be in control and he understands she's having a hard time relinquishing that control to him.

Another fifteen minutes later Booth pulls the SUV into a parking spot in a beautiful area of the park.

"We're here." He announces. Brennan takes off her seatbelt and turns to him.

"Here?" she asks. "Booth there isn't anything here."

"That's the point Bones." Booth grins. "Out of the city and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life." He tells her as he begins to get out the car. She pauses and as he stands outside the car he leans in.

"Are you coming?" he asks. Brennan finally pushes open her door and steps out into the warm sunshine. Booth has disappeared to the back of the SUV and Brennan hears the trunk click open. She walks around to see what Booth is retrieving. As she peers around him she sees a large wicker picnic basket and a red and white checked blanket.

"A picnic Booth?" she asks with surprise and warmth in her voice. Booth pulls the basket out and tucks the blanket under his arm.

"I thought it would be nice." He tells her. "Sitting out in the sun, eating some good food, nice wine and enjoying each others company." He grins as he starts to walk away from the SUV. Brennan catches up having been momentarily stunned by his choice of activity. _I never pictured Booth as the picnic kind of guy_ she thinks.

After walking along a tree lined path, Booth gestures for Brennan to follow him off the path and out to a grassy area near the river. With no one else around, Brennan starts to feel a little nervous. Spending time in her apartment with Booth is one thing but they are out here on what to most people looks like a date and truth be told, it scares her a little. She watches as Booth puts the basket down and spreads the blanket out over the grass. He then walks over to her and holds out his hand. Brennan slips hers into his, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach, and lets him pull her over to the blanket. They sit down and Booth pulls the basket onto the blanket next to him. Brennan stares with anticipation as Booth opens the basket. First out are two glasses quickly followed by a bottle of sparkling wine. A smile crosses Brennan's face. _Why is he doing all this?_ She wonders as Booth opens the wine and pours it into the two glasses. He passes one to Brennan.

"To us Bones." He toasts. Brennan clinks his glass then takes a sip of the wine. _Thank God I didn't need anymore painkillers. Those and wine wouldn't mix very well_ she thinks as she lets the cool sparkling liquid slide down her throat. Booth is entranced as Brennan closes her eyes as she sips the wine. _She looks so beautiful_ he thinks as he stares at her.

A few hours later the two are still engaged in animated conversation and are picking at the finger food Booth brought along. Brennan is surprised at how much fun she is having. _I can't remember the last time I did something like this_ she thinks. It occurs to her just how long she's allowed herself to be locked up in the lab. Suddenly Booth is leaning in towards her. He has a small smile on his face and Brennan is immediately suspicious.

"What?" she asks.

"You have a little, uh." His smile widens as he reaches out and, with his thumb, wipes a little mayo from the corner of Brennan's mouth.

"Oh." Brennan replies, all of a sudden feeling embarrassed. She instinctively raises her hand to make sure she has nothing else on her face. As she does so Booth cannot keep his eyes off her. Brennan catches his eyes and the two become locked in an intense gaze. Just when Booth thinks he should kiss her, the moment is broken by a football suddenly landing on their blanket. Brennan jumps and quickly averts her gaze and Booth looks at the ball and picks it up. He looks around and spots a young man jogging towards them. He stands up and tosses the ball back to the man then turns to Brennan, offering her his hand. She grasps it and he pulls her to her feet.

"How about a walk?" he asks. Brennan nods her agreement and the two start to stroll side by side along the edge of the river.

"So Bones, how'd you like this surprise?" Booth asks.

"It's not so bad." She shrugs. Booth nudges her with his elbow.

"See, all surprises are not bad." Brennan nudges him back a little harder. "Hey." Booth complains playfully as he pushes her shoulder. She responds by pushing him, again a little harder so he stumbles to the side.

"Oh you're in for it now Bones." He says as he moves to grab her. Brennan starts to laugh and runs away from him but Booth just chases after her. He soon catches up and grabs her waist from behind, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around a few times. Brennan is laughing hard when he sets her down and when she turns to face him he positions himself close. With one hand he brushes a few stray locks of hair from her face behind her ear. Everything about this situation screams 'kiss him' but she can't bring herself to reveal her true feelings. She knows Booth is touchy feely kind of guy and all this could just be his way of being her friend. Lifting her eyes she finds Booth is staring over her head across the river.

"Hey Bones." He places his hands on her shoulders and turns her around so she can see what he sees. Across the water a small deer is eating grass. Suddenly the deer looks up and Brennan could swear it was looking directly at her. They watch the animal for a moment then Booth whispers in Brennan's ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Come on Bones, we should head back." He says.

"I guess." She agrees, sounding a little disappointed.

"Want a lift?" he asks with a cheeky grin on his face. Brennan looks at him quizzically. "Piggyback Bones." Booth explains.

"I am not letting you give me a piggyback." She states firmly.

"Come on Bones, it'll be fun." He sends her his best puppy dog eyes and Brennan finally relents. Like kids do, Brennan jumps on Booth's back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He secures her with his arms behind her knees and starts to head back to their picnic spot. As he walks he feels Brennan resting her head on her arms, seemingly content, and his heart seems to swell. _Why can't I just tell her how I feel?_ He wonders.

As the sun starts to set, Booth pulls up to Brennan's apartment building. She twists in her seat to face him.

"Thank you for today Booth. I had a really nice time." She tells him.

"Don't thank me yet Bones, today isn't over." He tells her.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"I mean we have reservations for dinner. So you need to go get changed."

"Dinner?" she asks.

"Sure Bones. It's this meal where you sit down and eat and more often than not you share it with someone." He grins.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

"It's a surprise Bones." Booth tells her. _Another surprise_ Brennan thinks. _I could get used to his surprises_.

"At least tell me what I should wear." She begs. "Casual, dressy?" she probes.

"Dressy." Booth tells her. "I'll be back to pick you up in an hour and a half okay."

"Okay." She replies as she slips out of the SUV. As she walks up to her apartment she feels butterflies in her stomach. She's used to getting butterflies when Booth is around but these are very active butterflies and Brennan has not felt them this strong before.

_**One word – review……..please**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thanks again so very very much for your reviews for the last chapter. Here begins part two of Brennan's surprise. More romance and fluff. Enjoy**_

When Booth knocks on Brennan's door, dressed to the nines in a black suit with a white shirt and black tie, he is unprepared for how incredible she looks when she opens the door. He scans her from head to toe, taking in first her loosely curled hair, smoky eyes and glossed lips. His eyes settle on her body and the black dress she has put on. With thin spaghetti straps, a fitted elegantly beaded bodice and a flowing skirt that falls just below her knees, the dress more than does her justice. On her feet she has a pair of black kitten heeled shoes and she holds a sparkling black clutch bag in her hand.

"Wow, Bones." He gasps.

"Do I look okay?" she asks, suddenly very conscious of her appearance. She had tried hard to look good. _For Booth_.

"You look beautiful Temperance." Booth almost whispers. Brennan feels overcome by embarrassment again. "Um, you ready to go?" he asks.

"Yes." She responds. Booth steps aside to let her out and for the second time that day he walks her down the hall to his SUV.

When Booth pulls up at the dock Brennan looks confused.

"What are we doing here?" she asks.

"Shh." Booth places his finger over her lips. "Just come with me." He tells her. Booth jumps out the SUV and jogs around to her side as Brennan unclips her seatbelt and lifts her bag off the dash. As she moves to open the door she finds that Booth is already opening it for her. He offers her his hand and accepts, letting him help her out. Booth shuts the door behind her then takes her hand and slips it through his arm to escort her to their destination. He walks them a little bit down the dock until Brennan works out where they are going.

"A dinner cruise on the Potomac?" she asks, just to make sure she's right.

"Uh huh." Booth nods as they draw closer. _Wow, this is big_ Brennan thinks. She tries not to let her imagination run away with her but under the circumstances it's hard for her not to believe that Booth might feel for her what she feels for him.

When they approach the walkway to the boat, a host dressed in a black suit greets them warmly.

"Good evening. We have a reservation." Booth states. "Under Seely Booth." He adds. The host scans the clipboard he's holding.

"Yes, welcome to Odyssey Cruises." The host greets them. "If you'd like to board I'll have someone show you to your table. There will be short safety demonstration then we'll be setting off."

"Thank you." Booth nods and with his hand on the small of Brennan's back he guides her up the walkway onto the boat. Once inside a young blonde waitress greets them.

"Good evening Sir, ma'am." She smiles. "Let me show you to your table." She leads them on a winding walk through the dining room which is already filled with passengers. Brennan can't help but notice how they all look like couples. She wonders if any of them are like her and Booth – friends. Her heart sinks a little as she classifies them. _I want to call us something else_. The waitress finally stops at a table in the back, someone isolated from the others by the careful positioning of some potted plants. Brennan walks around to the far seat, not noticing Booth picking something up off the table. Once seated, the waitress takes their drinks order.

"Champagne." Booth orders. "The best you have." He adds. Brennan raises her eyebrows in surprise and delight. Before she can comment, her attention is drawn to the host who greeted them at the dock. He is now standing on a platform at the front of the dining room.

"Ladies and gentlemen." He begins. "I'd like to welcome you all to the Odyssey, I hope you have a wonderful evening. But before we set off I need to go through some safety procedures." He starts to rattle off the emergency exits, the location of life vests and what to do in the event of an evacuation. He concludes by informing the guests that a live band will be playing when dinner is over. As soon as he's done, the waitress reappears with a bottle of fine champagne. She uncorks it and pours two glasses before setting the bottle in chiller at the side of the table.

"We'll be taking dinner orders shortly after leaving the dock." She tells them. Booth nods and Brennan offers her a thank you.

"Cheers Bones." Booth raises his glass and for the second time that day clinks glasses with Brennan. As she sets her glass down Booth reaches under the table and pulls out a long stemmed deep red rose. _Thank God the staff here remembered to do what I asked_ he thinks as he offers it to Brennan.

"What's this?" she asks.

"For you." He nods and she takes the rose.

"But why?" she asks. _Always needing an explanation_ Booth thinks.

"Because I wanted to." He replies cheekily.

"Thank you Booth." Brennan inhales the aroma from the flower and holds the rose in her hand. She glances out the window as the boat begins to leave the dock, watching as the city lights move further away, wondering how this night is going to end.

When dinner is over, many of the guests begin to move around the boat. Some are dancing with the band on the small dance floor while others have stepped out onto the deck.

"Would you like to dance?" Booth asks suddenly. Brennan looks a little shocked at his request.

"I'm not a very good dancer." She tells him.

"I don't know, you did okay in Aurora." He refers to their dance floor antics in Washington State over a year ago when they were working the case of a hand found inside a bear.

"Just don't get mad if I stand on your feet." Brennan says. She didn't mean it to be funny but Booth lets out a little laugh anyway.

"I promise." He says as he holds out his hand for her to take.

Booth guides Brennan through the maze tables to the dance floor. The band begins to play a cover of Beth Nielsen Chapman's song, 'Say Goodnight' and several other couples on the floor are entangled in each other's arms, already lost in the moment. Booth takes one of Brennan's hands in his and places his other hand on her waist as she rests her hand on his shoulder. They remain a safe distance from each other as they begin to move slowly with the music, glancing at each other every few bars of the song.

_Say goodnight, not goodbye_

_You will never leave my heart behind_

_Like the path of a star_

_I'll be anywhere you are_

_In the spark that lies beneath the coals_

_In the secret place inside your soul_

_Keep my light in your eyes_

_Say goodnight not goodbye_

Booth slips his arm around to Brennan's back to pull her to him and she lets her body drift closer to his. His head dips down so his cheek rests on hers and she responds by sliding her hand around his neck, almost clinging to him.

_Don't you fear when you dream_

_Waking up is never what it seems_

_Like a jewel buried deep_

_Like a promise meant to keep_

_You are everything you want to be_

_So just let your heart reach out to me_

_I'll be right by your side_

_Say goodnight not goodbye_

They sway to the music, barely moving from their spot on the floor. To onlookers it appears more like they are holding onto each other than dancing. But they don't look that out of place as several other couples are doing the same thing.

_You are everything you want to be_

_So just let your heart reach out to me_

_Keep my light in your eyes_

_Say goodnight, not goodbye_

_Say goodnight, not goodbye_

By the time the song reaches its conclusion Booth and Brennan have stopped moving to the music completely and are just standing in each others arms, holding onto the fantasy each has but neither realises the other has too. It is only when the band switches to playing something more up tempo that the pair finally draws apart.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Booth asks suddenly, breaking the moment. Brennan can only nod in response.

Outside, the pair begin to walk slowly on the deck, each glancing up at the stars and the darkness surrounding them.

"Booth." Brennan starts. "I never expected my weekend to turn out like this." She tells him.

"Is that a good thing?" he asks, still a little worried that all his efforts will not have the desired effect.

"Yes. Yes it's a good thing." Brennan answers before pulling away from him and wandering over to the railing. She wraps her arms around her body as a cool breeze drifts over her. Booth notices her shiver and he slips his jacket off before walking over to her. Standing behind Brennan, Booth gently drapes his jacket over her shoulders. His hands remain there, as he stands close behind her. Brennan twists her head to look at him and again all she can think about is kissing him. But that nagging doubt holds her back and she turns her head away again, choosing instead to stare down at the water below. She feels Booth's hands rubbing up and down her arms.

"It's cold out here, maybe we should go back in." he suggests. Brennan shakes her head.

"Can we stay a while?" she asks.

"Sure." Booth replies. He wraps his arms around Brennan and draws her body back into him. He is surprised she hasn't resisted or freaked out but he decides not to question it. He is enjoying their closeness too much to spoil it. As Brennan feels Booth's arms surround her, she raises her own and places her hands on one of his arms that is resting across her upper chest near her neck. She feels him lower his head and rest his chin on her shoulder. Being this close would have scared her a year ago, hell a few months ago. _But now it feels right_.

The drive home to Brennan's apartment is a strange one. Both Brennan and Booth know something has changed but neither is talking about it. They make small talk, each mentioning how good dinner was, how the band was great and the cruise was really nice. Booth finally pulls up at Brennan's apartment and the two exit the SUV, walking towards her building entrance. When they reach the door Booth stands before Brennan.

"So Bones, how does reality match up to the movies?" Booth asks. He doesn't get the response he hoped for. Brennan's soft face suddenly hardens and she glares at him, taking a moment to speak.

"Is that all today was Booth?" Brennan asks, disappointment filling her voice. "Was this all just some game? A way for you to prove a point about a stupid romantic movie we watched?" she demands. Booth is a little stunned but he recovers quickly, knowing he has to clarify what he meant before everything is spoiled.

"No Bones." He steps towards her, closing the small gap. "It's not like that." He insists. Brennan turns her head to the side to avoid looking at him, her arms wrapped tight around her body, still cloaked in Booth's dinner jacket.

"Bones." Booth takes her chin and turns her head back to face him. "I care about you…a lot." He admits. "More than I should when I'm just your partner." His hand moves to her cheek and his thumb begins to stroke her soft skin. "I just wanted to show you that, to show you how I feel." He pauses, holding his breath and pulling his hand away from her cheek.

"Oh." Brennan whispers.

"Bones, I need to know if you feel the same." He almost begs. _I don't know what I'll do if she can't._ Brennan stares at Booth, her heart racing and her mind running a mile a minute. She knows she needs to answer him but she can't find the words. Instead, she slips her hands into his, holding them at their sides and stretches up moving her lips closer to his. Booth meets her half way and finally their lips brush against each others in a soft, gentle kiss.

"Does that answer your question." She asks, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Booth offers her a small nod then leans in to kiss her again, his hands moving to pull her body against his. When they finally pull apart, neither knows what to do.

"I should uh, I guess I should go." Booth says. "Work tomorrow." _I don't want to but we have to take this slow_ he thinks

"Uh huh." Brennan nods. _I don't want you to leave but this is big and I don't want to rush things_.

"Goodnight Bones." Booth lifts her hand and plants a kiss on the back.

"Goodnight Booth." Brennan says as Booth lowers her hand and he slowly backs away from her. She knows they're going to have to talk about this but tonight isn't the time. Tonight will remain the most romantic night of her life, unspoiled by analysis and second thoughts. She watches as Booth gets into the SUV and starts to drive off. He sends her a little wave through the glass of the window and she turns to allow her gaze to follow him as he leaves. _Wow_ is all she can think as she makes her way up to her apartment. _This is definitely not how I saw my weekend turning out. _

_**Um, probably one more chapter to go, hopefully giving you all the ending to this story that you want**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Okay, this has been an excruciatingly hard chapter to write but this story is now complete. I'm good at getting Booth and Brennan up to the point of getting together but I'm useless afterwards. I really hope this chapter doesn't disappoint because I've had such good reviews so far and I don't want the last chapter to fall flat. Thanks to all for continuing to read and review, it means a lot to hear how much you enjoy my work. **_

Brennan walks up to her apartment in a daze. Her mind is running through what just happened outside and trying to make sense of it. _Booth likes me, he wants to be with me_ she thinks. When she enters her apartment she performs her usual ritual of locking the door, placing her keys on the table and making herself a drink. After changing out of her dress and into her pyjamas, she sits down on the couch with a glass of orange juice. _But where do we go from here?_ She wonders. Glancing at the clock she realises how late it is and that since tomorrow is Monday she really should get some sleep. _I can think about all this tomorrow_ she tells herself as she rises from the couch and pads through to her bedroom. But she finds sleeping a lot harder than she expected. She keeps reliving the moment Booth kissed her and the look in his eyes as he told her how much he cared. She tosses and turns all night, her stomach a mass of anxiety about where this leaves their relationship.

Booth drives home with a smile on his face. _I finally told her and she didn't run_ he grins. _She feels something for me too_. By the time he gets into his apartment he knows he is not going to be able to sleep. His mind is too full with thoughts of Brennan and how she instigated their first kiss, letting him know that she feels for him what he has felt for her for so long. Still, Booth goes to his bed and lies down, hoping he'll maybe catch a couple of hours and be relatively fresh for tomorrow. He's going to have to see Brennan so they talk about what this means for them. _I just hope she doesn't have second thoughts_ he thinks as he turns over onto his side.

When Brennan wakes in the morning from a night of restless sleep she wakes with a smile on her face. She rushes through her normal routine and is on the road to work by 6am. As she drives, her mind drifts back to the first time she met Special Agent Seely Booth. The FBI had called upon the Jeffersonian to identify the remains of a body found in a warehouse that they believed was linked to a violent gang. Dr Goodman had approached Brennan and told her she would be assisting the FBI. She almost laughs when she remembers her response. _I was not impressed_ she recalls. When she had arrived at the FBI headquarters she was met by a junior agent who escorted her to an office. Waiting for her was Director Cullen and a tall and very handsome man. Brennan recalls studying his facial features and thinking how perfect his bone structure was. She remembers drifting her gaze over his body, marvelling at his strong shoulders and wondering what his body looked like under those clothes. _T had been a while_ she laughs. But she snapped out of it quickly when he spoke and realised how arrogant he was. He had practically ignored her and treated her like she was in the way. Their whole first case had been like that. He didn't believe her findings because they seemed too far fetched and he dismissed her scientific analysis. _I swore right then and there I would never work with him again_ she smiles. _And don't even get me started on that nickname….Bones_. She had despised it for such a long time and felt it necessary to ask him not to use that name for her each time he did. But it didn't stop him and gradually Brennan got used to it. She even began to understand that it wasn't just a nickname. It was Booth's way of letting everyone know he had a special relationship with her. _Only he was allowed to call me Bones_.

Before she knows it, Brennan has pulled into her parking spot at the Jeffersonian. She strides through the building to her office, all the time anticipating how long it will be before Booth shows up. None of her colleagues have arrived yet and Brennan is relieved. _I'm too preoccupied to talk to them right now._ She settles herself behind her desk and begins to process some paperwork she didn't get finished on Friday night due to her little accident. As she shuffles the papers she recalls Booth picking her up from the airport and begging her to help him out on a case. The only way she was going to help him was if she got full participation in the case, field work too and she practically forced him to agree. He had, really only because he needed her. It was from that moment on that their relationship began to develop. Booth taught Brennan so much about the outside world, about dealing with people and that there was a whole world outside her lab she owed it to herself to explore. Their progress wasn't without arguments though. But Brennan actually enjoyed their fights. She liked knowing that she confused Booth, that she caught him off guard and maybe even intimidated him a little. She wasn't afraid to get in his face, tell him her opinion or tell him when he was wrong. She liked knowing that she was equal to him when he started off thinking he was better.

Brennan is lost in her thoughts and doesn't notice the rest of her team arriving. Her mind is focused on all the things Booth has done to help her. _He's saved my life more times than I can count_ she thinks. For a moment her mind drifts back to that fateful day in the warehouse when rouge agent Jamie Kenton was about to kill her. She heard the shot and knew immediately that he had come to save her. She had burst into tears as soon as he came into view, still beaten up and bruised from the explosion. When she realised he had checked himself out of hospital to find her, she knew right then that there was something more to their partnership. Those feelings were only compounded when Booth helped her through the discovery of her mothers' remains and her identity crisis when she discovered her parents were not who she believed them to be and her name wasn't really Temperance Brennan. His simple words of 'I know who you are" had brought more comfort than anything anyone else could have said or done.

It had taken several months but Brennan finally started to feel comfortable being close to Booth physically. Hugging him had become standard and the little touches and gestures between them began to take on greater meaning, for her anyway. She knew Booth hugged other people and she had convinced herself there was nothing in it. Until this weekend that is, when he admitted his feelings for her. But before she can delve deeper, she is ripped from her thoughts by a voice calling her name.

"Brennan." Angela repeats herself.

"Huh? Brennan looks up, snapping back to reality.

"I was just asking what time you got here." Angela asks, a little suspicious at Brennan's distant expression. "Is something wrong? How's your head?" Angela asks, folding her arms across her chest.

"Oh, it's fine. I was just thinking."

"About your hot weekend with Booth?" Angela asks, raising her eyebrows in anticipation.

"I have work to do Angela, can we talk later?" Brennan asks as she rises to her feet. _I'm going to have to tell her but not until I've spoken to Booth_.

Across town, Booth is walking through the FBI building to his office, a grin still plastered across his face. As he steps into his office he recalls the day he met Dr Temperance Brennan. She had shown up in this very office, the expert sent by the Jeffersonian Institute to assist with a case. When she walked in he immediately noticed her simple beauty. A truly beautiful woman doesn't need a mountain of make-up and Brennan's simple colour on her lips and light shadowing over her eyes spoke volumes. Her clothes made a statement too. She had arrived wearing a deep blue skirt, white shirt and black boots. Her chunky jewellery was a big change from the gold, silver and diamonds he's used to seeing on the women in his life. But truth be told, he was intimidated by her. From the moment she stepped through the door, she took a firm stance, voiced her opinion and boy was she smart. Booth responded to the challenge by asserting himself and treating her, by his own admission, badly. And he paid the price for it. Brennan refused to work with him again and the only way to get her back was to let her have full participation in the cases. _That's when everything changed_ he thinks. Booth took responsibility for Brennan out in the field and almost immediately his alpha male instincts kicked in. He wanted to protect her and keep her out of danger despite the knowledge that she could probably kick anyone's ass. Still, he couldn't protect her all the time and on several occasions he'd almost lost her. One of the worst was when she had called him from New Orleans. She sounded confused, mumbled something about a missing day, injuries and that she was going to the local clinic. Booth had panicked and although she told him not to come he had jumped on the first available flight. _Just as well_ he thinks. _She might be in jail if I hadn't been there_. He knew his feelings for her were growing each and every day but he couldn't tell what was going on in her head. She hid her feelings so well, except when it came to her parents. In the last year, Brennan has found out more about her parents than in the fifteen years they were missing and the fifteen years she lived with them. Booth saw how she kept coming close to falling apart and he was always there for her, even when she didn't think she needed him. _I just wanted to hold her, comfort her and let her know I cared_ he thinks. _I finally did._ He grins as he begins pushing paper.

Mid morning, Brennan is bent over a set of remains on the platform when she suddenly stands up straight and puts down the piece of bone she was examining. Angela glances at her.

"Sweetie?" she asks. Brennan pulls off her gloves and turns to Angela.

"Booth's here, I need to talk to him." She states.

"But he's not …" Angela is about to say he isn't here when she catches sight of him at the far end of the room. _Brennan had her back to him, how did she know he was there?_ She wonders. As Brennan walks down the platform, Booth makes his way towards her. She had felt his presence in the room, something she had noticed she could feel a lot lately. The pair meets in the middle of the lab, unaware that the eyes of Angela, Zach and Hodgins are on them.

"Hi." Booth greets her with a smile. He restrains himself from reaching out to touch her.

"Hi." She replies. Her eyes lock onto his and although they don't say anything their eyes speak volumes.

Across the lab Angela watches them intently. _Something has changed_ she observes. She thinks they look both awkward with each other but comfortable at the same time. And that can only happen when…_Oh my God!_ She realises.

"They hooked up." She states, her voice filled with shock, surprise and excitement.

"What?" Hodgins asks, glancing up from a microscope.

"Booth and Brennan, they hooked up." She grins and turns to face Hodgins and Zach.

"How can you tell? They're just standing there." Zach asks. _Naïve as always_ Angela thinks.

"It's the way they're just standing there. They're not touching. It looks awkward between them but look at Booth's face and how they're staring." Both men glance over and see Booth's stupid grin and his eyes focused on Brennan intently

"I don't get it." Hodgins sighs.

"Trust me, Brennan has finally realised what we've all known for months. Booth is hot for her and she knows she feels the same way." Angela smiles.

Back in the middle of the lab Booth finally finds some words although it is not a full sentence by any means.

"Can we?" Booth gestures for Brennan to walk with him to her office.

"Sure." She replies. Booth places his hand on the small of her back and the two walk to her office across the lab, oblivious to the rest of the team watching them. Brennan tries to suppress the butterflies in her stomach. She's a little worried that Booth has come here to tell her last night was a mistake and they shouldn't take it any further. What she doesn't know is that Booth thinks she's going to say the same thing to him.

When they enter Brennan's office, she hangs back and closes the door to give them privacy. She then walks over to the couch and sits down. Booth moves in front of her and sits on the coffee table.

"So." He nods.

"So." Brennan echoes.

"Bones, about last night." He starts. He notices her eyes widening with fear and he realises she thinks he's about to change his mind. He reaches out and takes her hand in his. "I'm glad it happened." He says assuredly.

"Me too." Brennan whispers. She glances down at their entwined hands and Booth's thumb which is stroking soft circles on her skin.

"Where do we go from here?" she asks.

"I don't know Bones. This is all new to me." He admits. "I've never met anyone like you before in my life."

"I hope that's good." She smiles.

"Oh it's good." Booth replies. "I don't want to mess this up Bones." He tells her. "So maybe we need to take this slow, not rush into things." He says.

"I agree." Brennan replies. "Statistically speaking, relationships that move quickly are…" Booth silences her with a finger over her lips.

"Don't start analysing things Bones." He smiles. "How about we have dinner tonight, just you and me somewhere private." He suggests, his eyes filled with hope.

"I'd like that." She replies.

"Great." He responds. "But now I need to get back to work." He lifts takes one of her hands, plants a soft kiss on the back then rises to his feet.

"Booth." Brennan says. "Are you going to stop calling me Bones now?" she asks.

"Are you going to start calling me Seely?" he asks. Brennan shakes her head, still smiling.

"There's your answer." He tells her as he heads for her door. "I'll call you later okay." He says as he exits. Brennan nods and slumps down into the couch, a content smile on her face. She had been so worried about this first meeting but it went well and his feelings don't seem to have changed at all like she feared they might. She is alone for only a moment when she hears Angela knocking at the doorway.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Angela asks. Brennan twists around and cannot hide her happiness.

"Angela, come here and sit down." She says. Angela almost skips over, knowing she is going to get all the details.

Outside in the lab Booth walks towards the exit, passing Hodgins and Zach.

"Hey man." Hodgins greets him. "Is it true?" he asks. Booth stops and turns around on the spot.

"Is what true?" Booth asks, feigning innocence.

"You and the good Doctor?" Hodgins grins. Booth doesn't answer the bug man. Instead he just laughs to himself, turns and continues walking, tossing his car keys in the air.

"He didn't answer." Zach says whilst looking very confused.

"He doesn't have to." Hodgins pats his young friend on the shoulder. "Not answering says it all." He looks over into Brennan's office where Angela and Brennan are currently embracing. "There's your confirmation." He nods.

While Booth encounters Hodgins and Zach, in her office, Brennan quickly tells Angela what happened between her and Booth the night before.

"Sweetie, I am so happy for you." Angela grins. "But I can't believe it took the two of you this long to get here."

"Neither of us is really sure where 'here' is but we're working on it." Brennan tells her.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Angela asks when she sees the smile fall from Brennan's face.

"I'm scared." She replies honestly.

"What's there to be scared of?" Angela asks.

"Of messing up, of ruining our friendship, of losing Booth." She confides.

"You won't mess up as long as you're both honest. Besides, you've got me here. Your own personal dating expert. I won't steer you wrong." Brennan stands up and Angela rises with her.

"Thanks Ang." Brennan leans forward and wraps her arms around Angela hugging her tightly. "I'm going to need you." She whispers. Angela knows Brennan has taken a chance in admitting her feelings for Booth and she's proud Brennan has confided in her. She understands that this is a big step for Brennan and probably the first time she's felt this strongly about someone. _I just hope it all works out for them_ she thinks. _They deserve each other and happiness._


End file.
